10. Long-Acting HIV Treatment
One long-awaited advance expected in late 2019 didn’t make it in under the wire. The Food and Drug Administration delayed the approval of the first long-acting injectable antiretroviral regimen, Cabenuva (cabotegravir/rilpivirine). The decision was attributed to concerns about the two-drug regimen’s chemistry and manufacturing controls. Phase III studies showed that the once-monthly regimen is safe and effective both for treatment first-timers and for those switching from other regimens with an undetectable viral load. But don’t count long-acting meds out yet: Researchers recently announced the first study testing long-acting cabotegravir plus a broadly neutralizing antibody administered every eight weeks.
